Bear viewing ultimate experience in Kodiak

[SoBaycruiser]

Yesterday we had the most magnificent experience... we went on a bear viewing tour with Sea Hawk Air. It’s not cheap but this was for a special treat.  They flew us in a float plane over to Katmai Natl Park and Preserve where we landed on a bay.  ( They go different places depending on where the bears are currently fishing).  They provided us with waders to walk out of the water and onto a delta of a river that attracts bears.  There is no viewing structure.  There were a few bears already there and we were instructed to stay close together and talk in a semi-soft voice.  They said these bears were used to photographers and as long as they didn’t feel threatened or the fishing area being impacted, they’d leave us alone. Our wonderful guide and co-owner Jo was amazing.  She shared their body language and explained the interaction between the bears. We found a spot where we sat down and watched them and took hundreds of photos.  Sometimes we’d see them from afar and they slowly came closer and closer as they fished.  One bear was probably only 20’ away!   We spent three hours there and saw 9 bears. We finished the tour with a huge box lunch as we flew back to Kodiak.  I was in seventh heaven.

[oaktreerb]

Wonderful photos.  I’m guessing that you flew to Katmai from Kodiak.  Were you on a cruise?  How far in advance did you book the flight?

[SoBaycruiser]

1 hour ago, oaktreerb said:

Wonderful photos.  I’m guessing that you flew to Katmai from Kodiak.  Were you on a cruise?  How far in advance did you book the flight?

 

Yes we flew a float plane over to Katmai.  We are indeed on a cruise. They met 5 of us at the port. We booked the trip in March for the August trip but the others booked more recently.  We were exceptionally lucky with the weather.  Normally bad weather can cancel the flights.  However, they said this summer has been the warmest they can remember.